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Can-Can
Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by Abe Burrows
Directed & Choreographed by Kevin Bellie
Music Direction by Allison Kane
At Circle Theatre
7300 W. Madison
Chicago, IL
Call 708-771-0700, tickets $26 - $24 seniors & students
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 35 minutes with intermission
Through April 6, 2008
Thrilling dances and zany humor make Can-Can entertaining
When you combine a Cole Porter score with a funny Abe Burrows book and then have Bob Knuth design a vivid set and Kevin Bellie create choreography, you have the ingredients for a wonderful musical comedy. Circle Theatre continues to mount worthy Non-Equity musicals on their small stage. Director Kevin Bellie finds many new, energetic talents that can sing, act and dance to populate his shows. In Can-Can, he reaches new heights in creative choreography besides his fresh take on the Can-Can. I still marvel on how he can have so many dancers deftly moving on his little space.
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Can-Can, a 1953 Broadway musical that ran 892 performances, features several Porter hits such as “I Love Paris,” “It’s All Right With Me” plus the rousing “Can-Can” dance tune. Cole Porter’s lush lyrics on his French flavored score with the zany comedy from Abe Burrows’ book makes for a cute light-weight traditional Broadway musical. There is much to enjoy with Circle Theatre’s fine production. Bob Knuth’s layered Persian set to the lavish costumes from Jesus Perez and Allison Kane’s bouncy orchestra each contributed to energize the show.
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The story is set in 1893 Paris when new French Judge Aristide Forestire (Jeremy Rill) attempts to ban the nation’s beloved dance—the Can-Can as obscene. He gets into trouble when he meets and tries to fight the dance’s most ardent supporter, La Mome Pistache (Elizabeth Lanza). Add the funny twist of Boris (the wacky Robert Deason), the Bulgarian sculptor and his artist pals trying to get the art critic Hilaire (Mat Labotka) to review their art when Hilaire only desires Boris’ girl Claudine (Rachel Quinn). The result is a two part musical—with the terrific, large-voiced Jeremy Rill and the sexy and charismatic Elizabeth Lanza mixing fighting and romance and Boris fighting his jealousy as he attempts to keep Claudine yet get Hilaire to rave his art.
The tuneful Porter score presents several terrific dances that are fresh, creative and so much fun as Bellie has his youthful troupe in fine form. Robert Deason, Peter Durkin, Michael Cook and Jeremy Myers show their comic chops as well as their nimble dancing talents. Elizabeth Lanza nails the haunting “I Love Paris” while Jeremy Rill belts “I am in Love.”
Can-Can is funny, nicely sung, superbly danced extravaganza that pleases. Cole Porter’s score is memorable and hum-able. This show is pure fun—get to Forest Perk and enjoy.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago Podcast
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2008
Jeff Recommended
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